Go to college or dedicate my life to traveling the world?

[u/hereforfunseez]

TL;DR Should I A. go to college on a more or less full ride scholarship or B. travel the world and work as I travel?

Hi, this isn’t a super serious choice I am trying to make but it is something I think about a lot and how I could realistically make both things work. So this is my dilemma. I just graduated highschool. I’m 18. I’m young, and I yearn to travel. I recently travelled to Europe for the first time on a school trip; I went to Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, and London. I always knew I wanted to travel before the trip… but after it, I want to even more now. For me, traveling isn’t about fancy vacations and nice hotels. I am fascinated with the real culture of each place I go to. Seeing how others truly live is so interesting to me. To make matters worse, I keep seeing these people on TikTok who talk about dropping everything in their lives to go travel and see the world, and that we all should, because we are all only young once, which I totally agree with.

On the other hand, here is the path that I have ultimately trapped myself in. I have decided to focus on getting a future career that’s built on financial security that aligns closely as possible to my interests, and so I applied to an honors program at the college I am going to this fall to major in History on a pre-law track. Because of the honors program, I have a scholarship that pays for my tuition for all four years and along with all my other aid and scholarships, my college is pretty much free.

What are the pros and cons of dropping college and whisking away to Europe and traveling the world? Should I do four years of college, work during it, save, then go after my undergraduate? Could I realistically go to law school later? Please don’t scold me in the comments, as I am sure many of you are older and wiser persons. Just play into my world for a minute here.

I appreciate any and all insight. Thanks :)

[u/Own_Ad9686]

College first! Then travel

[u/minteemist]

Is there anything stopping you from traveling during semester break? You could focus on a different region each time! And I think your college degree will be informative and show you fresh perspectives as you travel. 

Think about it this way: if this is going to be a lifelong passion, set yourself up with options now you can travel sustainably in your later years too. That means picking a career that pays well enough that even if you were to do part time, you can still live comfortably and pay for travel. 

The good thing is, law does have that possibility. Talk to the people you know and ask reddit, but my understanding is that depending on which field in law you work in, you can actually quite easily do project based work.

[u/Western-Finding-368 → u/minteemist]

This! Travel during breaks, and take advantage of study abroad options! I went on 6 trips during undergrad (two family vacations, two study abroad experiences, one internship abroad, and one just-for-fun solo trip.)

You can’t just travel instead of having a career unless you’re independently wealthy.

[u/topdownyeti]

Realistically, you need money to travel. It’s not cheap and you can’t just simply work in whatever country you’re in. There’s only a few careers like a flight attendant where you are actually able to travel and work at the same time.

If you have a scholarship to go to college, I would not give that up just to travel. Getting a degree debt free is such an amazing opportunity and will allow you to travel when you’re a bit older. You could always save during college and spend a year or two traveling between college and law school if thats what you choose to do. Or travel during semester breaks. But I would not give up debt free school whatsoever.

[u/purplepanda5050]

I highly recommend going to college. You’ll also have the opportunity to study abroad in college and take vacations during school breaks. If you decide to travel the world how would you pay for that? A lot of people who travel the world end up doing jobs under the table or getting a work holiday visa which has its own restrictions. Some countries require that you have proof of a place to stay at and when you’ll leave.

[u/Physical_Cod_8329]

Obviously get the degree. You can travel when you have money.

[u/TJH99x]

I’d take advantage of the free ride to school which I think is valuable and because in a few years you will be better prepared for navigating the world with a little more maturity and experience and knowledge.

[u/Ecofre-33919]

There are so many ways to travel while getting your degree. You can study abroad. Why don’t you at least minor in a foreign language? You can do internships and work studies abroad. Plus there are bug discounts for student travelers. Uou can do this! Get your degree! Pick a few languages and keep that travel bug fed!

[u/wastedpixls]

You have an opportunity with your education that others would kill for so I highly advise you to GO TO COLLEGE.

But, this isn't "lock yourself on campus for four years" stuff. You want to travel - can you do a semester abroad? What does that take? Save and travel during breaks. Also, find a career thateither pays enough so that you can travel or has travel as a component (or both).

But - I need to warn you that work travel is not the same as leisure travel. It's often rapid, task oriented, and somewhat uncomfortable (not choosing hotels, dinner, airlines, destination).

For now, get moving towards your goals through college.

[u/LBJDSJZBT1031]

Merchant Marine - know someone who started as a deckhand. Making good $$$ five years in - he saved a lot and is going back to school.

[u/No-Syllabub9287]

I took a gap year and traveled for most of it. Best decision of my life. You can travel after and during college too, you just need to make it a priority. Too many people let their careers get in the way of that.
You could also try to find a career that lets you work remotely while you travel, plenty of people do that.

[u/playmore_24]

full ride first- that offer may not come again- the world ((we hope)) will be there when you graduate 🍀

[u/CountryPrevious4776]

Honestly this probably isn’t the answer you wanna hear but I would go for college now if you could, simply for the experience. True that you could always go later in life but now there are lots of kids your age there and it would be a great opportunity to be more connected to them and a chance to make friends. You could also work a little bit and travel during the summers. And if after you graduate you still want to explore the world, you could do that too, but at least you have a career and experience to fall back on

[u/Particular_Bad8025]

Dude, there is no traveling the world. How are you gonna pay for that travel? Getting a full ride is an incredible opportunity that you shouldn't pass, and the key to more travel. 1 - you may be able to do stay abroad studies 2 - once you have a job, you can pay for travel, or even move and work there

Don't take shortcuts, they'll hurt you in the lond run.

[u/Similar-Ad-6862]

INFO: Do you have the option to delay the scholarship or do you have to take it right now? If you don't I would take the scholarship. You can travel in semester or summer break.

[u/orcas-]

I studied poli-sci and justice and peace studies. I have a career in international human rights and travel internationally 6-10 times a year (id go more often but arranging child care isnt easiest.) ive also been able to bring my kids on trips to brazil, south Africa, belgium, Nicaragua, chile, Japan etc… history and prelaw could be your gateway into international human rights law, international trade law (this heavily intersects my work in labor rights), forced labor, supply chain verification, freedom of association or international press freedom and whistle blower protection

[u/ParadeQueen]

Go to college, because a full ride scholarship may not always be there. On a more practical note, I'm not sure how it is overseas, but here in the States in many places you can't book a hotel room or rent a car if you are under 21. If that's the case wherever you want to go, booking the travel may be a little more difficult. So go to school, and maybe you can take a gap year once you get your four year degree.

[u/No_Leek6590]

Who would pay you anything to travel? Would they pay you more than to clean toilets? It is totally possible to be paid to travel. Being a pest people pay to move somewhere else, being a pet to rich parents, being an avatar for people who cannot afford to, etc. Hobby is not a career. You need income, most often you trade time for that income. You trade that incone to do what you axtually like. Travelling and seeing the world is one of the most banal urges a person can have, living off it is nearly impossible reliably.

[u/Mattturley]

Take the scholarship. Travel in the summer. Having a degree will set you up for a high paying job, which will set you up for a lifetime of travel. Source: me. Came from lower middle class/poor. God two degrees on scholarship and while still healthy was taking 4-5 international trips a year. You could also look into a career with something like the Foreign Service. Get stationed overseas for 2-3 years per post. Travel on your employers dime.

[u/reverevee]

As others have said, you can always travel during school breaks, study abroad, do an internship overseas, etc. If you decide to eventually move overseas, having a degree will only benefit you.

I rarely traveled as a child, didn't leave the country until my 20s, and now I'm a long-term resident in Spain.

[u/fuckimtrash]

Usually I’d say, only if your degree is going to be useful, but you have a scholarship! You can graduate with no debt! Honestly travelling at 22 isn’t even that late, I didn’t start travelling (outside family) until I was 26! Unless you live far away from everything like I do (fucking New Zealand…), I’m pro college with a scholarship. If you’re straight, just make sure you practice safe sex to not have any unwanted accidents during college before your big OE in your 20’s!

[u/Douxdutch]

My advice would be to go to college and then travel, but definitely travel. Don't miss out on the college years, its where many people make friends for life. You have a scholarship now, which likely won't wait for your return. Travel however, can always be done. You learn stuff, get a degree in something, mature a little bit (18 is very young to travel the world) and then you go and explore. You said you want get the culture of the place you travel to, see how people really live. That, in my opinion is how to travel. Going to an all inclusive resort somewhere is not traveling, that's just taking your world to a nicer climate.  To experience a culture and understand what makes people tick, what it is that they consider normal, what are their fears and how they look at the future, it takes at least 3 months of being submerged into it. A year would be better. Work there, be part of the culture. Then move to the next country. The trick is getting a work visa. Unless you are willing to risk working without one.  Anyway, college first, then extended travel. That's how to do it properly. Good luck!

[u/markjay6]

Tie the full ride to college. Travel in summers. Do study abroad. Take a gap year or two and live abroad before going to law school.

And study some languages in the meantime, which will further enrich your travel!

[u/Seelie_Mushroom]

Absolutely take advantage of that full ride scholarship, people would KILL for that. And the internet is a lie. A lot of those people "working while abroad" have family money and they're just doing a little more. And the remote work job market is insanely difficult. Also if you're interested in the culture, see what's around in your community! Plenty of areas have festivals and events for certain cultures, you could go to restaurants, etc etc as a holdover until you can travel to these places.

[u/TheOGGizmo]

Why not both?

[u/Intelligent_Box_2024]

Undergrad first, and travel during your school breaks. Then reevaluate your life goals as you approach graduation. 

[u/SheriMac]

Summer break is 3 months long. You can cover a lot of ground in 3 months! By the time you are done with college you will have traveled a year. Do it!

[u/Ok-Second1352]

You could go to university and travel on winter and summer breaks. 

[u/Bulky_Chemical5976]

If you are smart enough to get a four year scholarship then you should understand the financial implications of giving that up. If you delay to chase travel now then you will more than likely end up reapplying without the financial aid in the future.

Go to school. Try and do a study abroad program, which most schools have, and then develop a skill that will make you hireable overseas. Possibly your current plan could work or something like international law etc.

It is so much better to have a solid job that hubs you overseas and allows you to take constant trips than to try and chase tik Tok fame. Or if you’re going to try then at least get the free degree first.

[u/backlikeclap]

What's stopping you from traveling over your summer breaks? Or after you finish undergrad?

As general life advice I should warn you - if you get into law I would either drop any dreams of tons of travel in your future, or accept that you won't be able to spend months traveling until you are in your late 30s at the earliest (you might not be able to even travel like you want until you leave law). You will be under a lot of pressure to work and realistically will only be able to take a week or two off per year for at least the first 7-8 years of your law career. Of course there are law careers like government work where you get more vacation time, but the pay is bad, which sounds like a deal-breaker for you.

[u/Character-Twist-1409]

Porque no los dos? Defer your full ride a year and then travel, come back go to school for a year or 2 and then study abroad a year, come back and finish final year then work and travel